Random ballpark observations from tonight

Just some random, non-game related observations from PNC Park tonight:

Lots of black and orange. For a team that is drawing some of their smallest crowds every in Camden Yards this year (or at least they were in April, I don't know how they're doing now that my Orioles' fan roommate is back in Maryland for the summer), they travelled pretty well. PNC Park must have quite a good reputation around the country. That or western PA is full of transplanted Oriole's fans (as a comparison, there were almost as many O's fans in attendance as there are Cubs fans when the Cubbies are in town, anyone that's been to a Pirates/Cubs game as PNC knows what I'm talking about).

Best shirt of the night: A #18 Jason Kendall shirt/jersey with tape over Kendall's name and Van Slyke written over it in black marker. After watching Mark Redman pitch for two full months and watching real catchers throw runners out and handle a pitching staff the message from Pittsburgh to Jason Kendall is clear, GOOD RIDDANCE. Though we do have a new member to the #18 jersey club (18 was always my number since Van Slyke was my favorite player growing up, then replaced by Kendall since I was always a catcher and I was blinded by the mediocrity around him for most of his career here, not that any of that really matters), as on Sportsline.com Sean Burnett's number is now listed as #18, which is fine by me.

The best moment at Three Rivers Stadium, as voted by the fans, wasn't clinching the '79 pennant, the magical Cordova/Rincon no-no, either of the All-Star games, the Candyman's no hitter, the first night World Series game ever, clinching the division in '91 or '92, or (as the namesake of this blog would have voted) it's destruction. It was Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit (Cordova and Rincon were #2 while the '79 pennant was #3 for the curious). I obviously never got to see him play in person, but even highlight films of him playing are amazing to watch and it's very obvious to see what he means Pirates fans, even of my generation (who heard of his wonderous deeds from our parents who worshipped him). There's still more Clemente jersey's in PNC Park than anyone else (some of which is due to the talent that's been through here since him). That's why this is so aggravating to read. He gave his life up trying to help other people, and now someone is trying to make a cheap buck off of it. What a sad world we live in.